Security and the Right to Information Were Discussed in…

A meeting of the Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigative Commission on the Investigation of Russian Federation Crimes Against Journalists was held in Odesa. At the event, media representatives spoke about the difficulties they face in accessing information under martial law.

The meeting focused on documenting Russian war crimes against the media and the survival of relocated newsrooms in Ukraine’s southern regions, and was held in a hybrid format—both in person and online via Zoom.

The meeting’s agenda was structured around four key areas:

Media safety in frontline regions and access to information.
Documenting Russian war crimes and working under shelling.
Challenges for relocated media outlets and the restoration of frontline press.
Investigating crimes against media workers, providing legal support for such cases, and countering Russian disinformation.

TSK Chair Yevheniia Kravchuk noted that Russia is committing various types of crimes against Ukrainian media—ranging from the physical killing of journalists to systematic information manipulation. According to her, since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 150 media workers have been killed and more than 50 wounded.

In particular, during the discussion, journalists spoke about the daily dangers of their work: FPV drone attacks throughout Kherson, repeated strikes on locations that had already been hit, and difficulties accessing official information.

Valerii Bolgan, editor-in-chief of Intent, cited examples where references to “martial law” or “national security” are used as a catch-all justification for refusals, and called for striking a balance between real security risks and the public’s right to information.

He noted that, in his view, there is a very important line here. A specific document may be classified. But when even information about which documents are classified and on what grounds becomes classified, public oversight effectively ceases to function.

The meeting also addressed the issue of difficulties journalists face in accessing the border areas of the Izmail, Bolhrad, and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi districts in the Odesa region.

Journalist Olena Hnitetska from Kherson was presented with a certificate of honor from the Verkhovna Rada at the meeting.

Earlier,Valery Bolgan, editor-in-chief of the publication Intent, joined the jury of the National Investigative Journalism Competition.

Юлія Калабайда

The TSK in Odesa Discussed the Balance Between Security and the Right to Information

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